Saturday, November 5, 2016

Ghar Penal Legion ZY-86V

As mentioned, I've branched out my Antares forces to include some degenerate clones with radiation leakages...

Nominally I'm using the Rebel list from the Xilos book, although I'm playing it as a Empire Penal Legion, using a lot of disposable Outcasts to put pressure on the enemy while the heavy hitters move in and and take whatever objectives the scenario calls for...

For my Scout Force (500 points) I've gone for lots of cheap units, with as much fire support squeezed in as possible.

This means:Two units if Outcasts; Cheap, numerous, but can tear a enemy line unit to shreds in the right circumstances (no, seriously! 2 shots each is horrendous, for a five point model!). Keeping them away from X-launchers is a priority, though; a single shot can without problem get rid of half a unit, with their low Res, and no cover bonus.

They get some support in the shape of two Disruptor Cannons, either in a unit, or stand alone (depending on how many Order Dice I need...)

A unit of Attack Scutters, or as I like to call them; Discount Battle Suits... Almost 100 points cheaper, but with the same firepower, they have never disappointed me, and on several occasions won me the battle.
Need to get a unit across the table? No problem, just kick in the Plasma Amplifiers and take two Run Actions every turn...
Enemy unit dug in giving you problem? Disruptor shots to really add the pins, or RF 3 Dispersed to get
rid of the cover Res bonus...

The models being what they are helped make them the primary reason I choose to go with the Rebel list instead of the Empire list (where you can only get them once you hit 1000+ points).

Speaking of units a bit too cheap for their utility, we also have the Tectorists. Mad even by Ghar standards, they run ahead of the main force to act as spotters for their brethren, allowing a very nice re-roll. The fact that they can be used to dump the Distort Dice is just gravy, to be hones.
One thing to look out for is that only a single shot per shooting action may be re-rolled, no matter the number of Tectorists in range (all the more reason to spread them out, if you ask me!)

And last but not least, we have my Commander, Borag 566-8-B4, cautiously hidden away inside a Battlesuit. He still hasn't been shot even once, although he does have a tendency to... ehrm... 'Make a tactical withdrawal' towards the end of games. This is really a feature of the Antares morale mechanics; once his bodyguard bites the dust, every pin means a break test, and once one comes up with a 10, it's bye-bye commander... Totally in character, though, why waste time seeing the enemy degenerates being mopped up, once he has lead the force to victory?
Borag will, in due time, get a modified model created, with parts from a Bomber and some other odds and ends. However, sooner or later his duties to lead the force on foot will be taken over by his lieutenant/bodyguard, Flöng 566-10-X8, while Borag himself ascends to a loftier perch inside a Command Crawler (the perfect place for a careful commander!).That is my 500 pts list, I'm soon to be finished with reinforcements up to 750, and then there is only a single model left to take the force to 1000 (no prizes for guessing which!)

I can definitely recommend them, the models are really characterful, and they synergize so well with both suits, Scutters and D-cannons...

I'll probably kit out my commander with the extra armour plates from a Bomber suit, some trophies (mounted to the armour, rather than the usual spiked pole), and I might try to do something with the Plasma Claw too.

Thanks! I always felt that the Ghar should have something like that, it is not like they value individual lives, especially not those who somehow failed.. Or anyone, in times of population surplus.As a bonus, I can gather up some regular battlesuits and play a regular Empire list too!